The lunch bell rang and the previously quiet campus atmosphere changed imdiately.
Students poured out from various school buildings, filling the corridors and stairways, finally converging in the plaza, a dense crowd swarming toward the cafeteria.
Chai Wei stood on the eastern corridor of the second floor, looking down at the bustling scene below.
He raised his can, toasting the air in front of him, as if he was toasting the masses below.
His face showed a strong sense of pride, a pride not cultivated overnight, but a spirit forged through countless tis of perfect control over everything.
"Dan Xiao, let’s go to the cafeteria for a al later," Chai Wei said calmly.
Strangely enough, he once resisted eating at the small lunch tables, always being coerced by Pang Jiao’s group.
But in the past few days, he went to the cafeteria voluntarily every day, and Pang Jiao no longer coerced him, as if they saw him as a tad dog.
"Ridiculous, ridiculous," Chai Wei shook his head. They would never imagine that he wasn’t an obedient little dog but an indomitable wolf king!
Dan Xiao stood shoulder to shoulder with him, also gazing at the bustling campus.
He said reluctantly, "We should go soon, otherwise there won’t be any seats left later."
Chai Wei hesitated for a mont, realizing the cafeteria was crowded. He thought for a mont and decided, considering he still needed to buy gold: "Let’s go, I’ll treat you to braised pork ribs."
Dan Xiao didn’t imdiately agree. He thought for a dozen seconds before replying, "I already had a chicken rice al you bought the day before yesterday, and you’re treating to braised pork ribs today, it’s too much. I’ll treat you instead."
"Huh," Chai Wei was taken aback, almost thinking he misheard. He looked toward Dan Xiao and saw how he wore that old school uniform jacket. The Fourth Middle School’s uniform was very plain, only worn daily by students with difficult financial situations.
Dan Xiao always wore a school uniform, and it wasn’t an act. But even in poverty, he was willing to treat him to an eighteen-yuan braised pork ribs al. What admirable spirit, what simplicity of character!
This raw integrity moved Chai Wei, making him blurt out, ’I’ll treat!’
However, he stopped himself. Chai Wei was inherently cautious and cool. Becoming his friend wasn’t that easy.
His eyes shifted slightly and he asked back, "Are you really going to treat ?"
He had to know that the last ti he treated Dan Xiao was because of a delay in getting to the cafeteria, and he was delayed again this noon, so he should be the one treating.
Dan Xiao pulled three crumpled bills out of his pocket—one twenty, one ten, one five—and a few coins, honestly saying:
"Just enough for the al and also to buy two cans of cola."
Chai Wei felt reluctant, but he wanted to test Dan Xiao, so he sighed and said, "Thank you then, after buying gold this ti, I won’t have much left."
After saying that, Chai Wei stared closely at his expression, trying to detect a hint of reluctance. If there was any trace, it would prove that Dan Xiao was just being superficially polite.
However, Dan Xiao chuckled naively, genuinely leaving no room for fault: "No problem, my treat."
Chai Wei was reassured.
The two walked out together, and on the way, Chai Wei was curious. Dan Xiao had never asked why he was selling his phone to buy gold.
’Why doesn’t he inquire about my gold?’
Soon, the suspicious Chai Wei felt rather pleased that other people didn’t pry into his business. He liked people who kept their mouths shut.
...
Afternoon, overcast skies.
Chai Wei carried a bag into Class 8. His expression hadn’t changed from before, yet his eyes harbored an imperceptible shadow.
As soon as he stepped into the classroom, he noticed a large figure occupying his seat, waiting for his arrival.
Desk-mate Bai Yuxia, the students behind, Jiang Ning, and Xue Yuantong, were all absent. In that mont, the whole world seed to shrink down to just this single enormous BOSS waiting there.
’Has it finally co?’ Chai Wei mused.
The ti for closure had co.
Chai Wei fird his resolve and approached, smiling wrily as ever, reluctantly greeting, "Pang Jiao, why are you sitting in my seat?"
Pang Jiao countered, "Why didn’t you eat with us at noon?"
Her face was filled with anger, like a volcano about to erupt, overwhelming everything around and destroying the whole world.
But Chai Wei had long ceased lacking the courage to confront the world. He was a player beyond the chessboard, able to oversee the whole world.
With a slight move, he could reverse everything, overturn anything.
’Co on, co on! I’m no longer afraid of you!’
A powerful hot-blooded energy surged in Chai Wei’s heart; the angrier he beca, the calr and more composed he grew. At this mont, his acting reached its peak.
He seed sowhat fearful, perhaps frightened, stuttering as he replied, ’Because a girl said she’d treat to lunch and also gave snacks.’
As soon as these words left his mouth, Pang Jiao’s large face suddenly darkened. Her belonging, Chai Wei, was actually being taken away by another girl. It seed necessary to unleash Wang Yan Yan.
But before that, she reached out with a thick hand, grabbing the lunchbox from Chai Wei’s hand.
Chai Wei was inwardly overjoyed, exclaiming, "No, you can’t, it’s very important!"
"I’ll taste it for you, see if it’s spoiled!" Pang Jiao roared.
Chai Wei was intimidated, stamring, "You can’t take it, it’s expensive!"
Pang Jiao shouted, "You still dare to resist!"
She raised her arm, asserting dominance through force.
Chai Wei was ’startled,’ hurriedly dodging, seemingly overwheld by Pang Jiao’s might.
In the end, he could only watch as his lunchbox was taken away by Pang Jiao.
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